Further I append below the text of a Naval Message dated 15/9 Year obscured and Timed I think 0957.

"To:- AXO Romsey From FOIC
The rapidity with which Romsey left basin yesterday Wed. at vey short notice and the assistance rendered ships in the convoy anchorage reflects great credit on all concerned which includes AXO and all his Staff."

I wonder if it was an Air-raid????..................pete

ruud

18th September 2005, 14:51

Ahoy Pete,
This is what I found on the famous WWW:
ROMSEY was a 500GRT tug/tender built by Ferguson, Glasgow, 1930 and owned
by Alexandra Towing , Liverpool..
They placed tugs at Southampton , from 1912, to assist with passenger
liners.
ROMSEY appears in almost every commercial photograph taken of the two QUEENS
berthing there
When the QUEEN MARY went on trials on the Clyde she was brought from
Southampton to assist the tug PALIDIN to as passenger tenders.
In June 1940 ROMSEY was again transferred from Southampton to the Clyde
where she ferried troops out to the waiting transports off the Tail of the
Bank.
In September 1942 she was run down by another vessel but salvaged and put
back into service.
Have no name of other vessel at this point..
When not used as a tender she operated Clyde/Firth of Clyde as an
examination vessel for the Admiralty., being returned to owners in August
1945
She is mentioned as having assisted at the grounding of the QUEEN ELIZABETH
, 14th April 1947, off the Brambles in Southampton Water.
ROMSEY was scrapped at Sheerness in 1962.
"British Steam Tugs" by PN Thomas carry's drawings, photo's and some
information on the tug but not the "running down"
Alexandra Towing archives are held by Merseyside Maritime Museum
Above from Lloyds Register, various publications re tugs
I do believe that on TugTalk they have photos of her, I only have this one.
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/4430/romseyandqe3ky.th.jpg (http://img297.imageshack.us/my.php?image=romseyandqe3ky.jpg)

pete

18th September 2005, 15:11

Many thanks Ruud, it makes very interesting reading...............pete

Bob S

18th September 2005, 15:26

Hi Pete, what ROMSEY are you looking for?
Do you know her year of build?
I have photo's of at least two ROMSEY's (somewhere) which I will find and post, one built 1964 & the other 1969.